Workers Defend Their Rights in Wisconsin & Ohio

PLEASE HELP US SHARE THIS VIDEO.

Over the last two weeks, tens of thousands of workers and their supporters have flooded the Wisconsin and Ohio state capitols, pushing back on their newly-elected Republican Governors' attempts to revoke collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Other than the flashes of anger Ohio crowds showed when they were curiously shut out of their statehouse, the protests have been entirely peaceful, even jovial, with the Wisconsin capitol having an atmosphere similar to a pep rally.

WI Gov. Scott Walker and OH Gov. John Kasich have claimed budget crisis as the impetus for their efforts, but their accounting is spurious, and unions have already agreed to reductions in pay and benefits. Wisconsin public workers have yielded to all of Walker's fiscal requests, making Gov. Walker's insistence that he must cut collective bargaining rights to cut the deficit even more dubious.

Many of those we interviewed, including union leaders, did not believe that the revocation of their rights was necessary to balance budgets, but was rather part of a coordinated effort to dismantle unions and reduce their large financial and organizational contributions to progressive politics.

As Governors Walker and Kasich hold staunch, refusing even to negotiate, the protests in Wisconsin and Ohio continue, joined by thousands of others from states across the nation.

2010 Outside Spending measured by the Center for Responsive Politics:http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/summ.php?cycle=2010&chrt=V&d­isp=O&type=P
Thanks to MoveOn.org & Laura Dawn, Matt Wisniewski, Julia Reichert & Steve Bognar, Chris Gollmar, Kasey Hosp, SEIU & Kim Cook, AFL-CIO & Maggie Priebe, Deb Steele, Kevin Benish, and Derek Clinger.

Produced and edited by Chase Whiteside (interviews) and Erick Stoll (camera). Additional camera by Matt Wisniewski.

DONATE:
Our films are free to watch, but costly to produce. Every contribution helps to keep us online.
http://newleftmedia.com/supportnlm

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• politics
• Wisconsin
• Ohio
• election
• 2012
• Obama
• public worker
• deficit
• film
• video
• editing
• documentary
• film school
• movies
• Chase Whiteside
• Erick Stoll
• New Left Media
• labor

[1790coastie]

John Boehner doesnt hate America. just 99% of its people

[chicagofrank2010]

EVERY SINGLE TIME you see workers getting screwed and mistreated or talk about privatizing Social Security or Public Education a republican is ALWAYS behind it.

[MyRiseToHonor]

The governors of Ohio, and specifically Wisconsin, are both nothing but slave minded lapdogs to the elite! FACT, jobs have been disappearing in Wisconsin at an alarming rate! Walker is a true joke that hasn't produced any jobs and I hope he gets recalled! He, like many politicians who say they're conservative, all get their walking orders from ALEC! The American Legislative Exchange Council has been planning a corporate run America since 1973! Looks like they overreached! Seek The Truth!

[analyzingfunny]

Holy shit this is a big movement. The people are pissed and are revolting. I wonder why this is not on the news?

[MegaELECTRICEYE]

@sweatyshorts And I just read today from a greenbay News Source Wisonsin is losing over 3000 jobs a month. If their budget has been balanced why is the GOV with holding that real info to the Tax payers? Actually the Gov economics is upside down Job growth starts from the bottom not the top like he is trying.

[MegaELECTRICEYE]

@kingchickenmcnugget So you must be part of the 1% congradulations. And what do you suggest for workers to work for 3rd world wages??? And under Bush those that applied for Food Stamps went up to 63%. Also we lost on an average of 750,000 Jobs a month because of Conservative Trickle down economics and Job creation for China. So I take it your against the american worker. And wish for america to lower its standards of Living.

[MegaELECTRICEYE]

@analyzingfunny OH I believe your right. And these NUT cases will be the ones laying down and not standing up. But then again you have to know what your standing up against when you go to a fight. These people don't even know what they are protesting about. And don't even have the clue the ones they have in Congress are not in their best interest.

[luciferiexcelsil]

@kingchickenmcnugget Bush tax cuts and ridiculous spike in government spending is what has us in the current debt crisis. Historically, the current fed income tax is among the lowest ever since the income tax was installed. 700 billion for each war? hah, right... it's more than that. Count in thet numerous military bases we have all over the world and the huge amount of money spent on contracts with the armament industry.

[Aldridge517]

6:14 I got hype as hell sitting at my computer when dude said, "I say BULLSHIT!" Lol

[ccmccarty]

You should be able to have a governing force them helps protect workers rights and makes sure that workers have a safe working environment. However, workers should NOT be able to go on strike in masses and expect their jobs to be protected/saved for them until the company gives them what they want. The workers are then holding the company hostage which in the end will cause everyone to lose.

[analyzingfunny]

wtf!? shit There is a revolution on the horizon.

[ckj377]

great footage.

What camera did you use?